The present invention is directed to a troughcap for use with containers, and more particularly to a combined filling trough/dispensing cap primarily though not exclusively constructed for use with a removable bottle or water reservoir tank to facilitate filling and dispensing of the liquid contents of the container or tank.
Console or floor type humidifiers are constructed to be filled by one of several different methods. These different methods include: humidifiers which are mounted on casters for movement of the entire humidifier to a water source; humidifiers which include a refillable water compartment requiring the carrying of separate containers or buckets of water to refill the compartment or humidifiers which include a detachably mounted refillable bottle or container that can be carried to a water source for refilling and then resumed to the humidifier. Since some console humidifier designs include casters for moving the entire humidifier as well as a refillable water compartment, the user has the option of using either of the refilling methods in such instances. Of course, rolling the entire humidifier to a water source is burdensome and in many cases, impractical. It is also time consuming and inefficient to make repeated trips to a water source for refilling a humidifier with separate containers or buckets. In recent years, both of the aforementioned water refilling methods or techniques have generally been replaced by detachable refillable containers or bottles that are used in console or floor mounted humidifiers. Such detachable refillable containers or bottles are also used in some table top humidifier products as well.
Most of such standard detachable refillable containers or bottles include filling and dispensing caps that are located along a bottom surface of the container or bottle since water is typically gravity fed through the filling/dispensing cap into a reservoir at the bottom of the humidifier. When the filling/dispensing cap is removed, it exposes a fill opening at the bottom of the bottle. Because the fill opening typically falls at the bottom or lower end of the longest dimension of the detachable refillable container or bottle, it is most difficult to position the container or bottle under a standard faucet for filling. As a result, additional filling equipment is generally required. Such additional equipment includes a hose, bucket, pitcher or any other supplemental filling equipment.
For some period of time, there has been a need for a filling/dispensing device which avoids the current necessity of using additional filling equipment. As will be understood from the discussion that follows, the combined filling trough/dispensing cap of the present invention provides a practical and efficient way of filling a detachable refillable container or bottle while overcoming the aforementioned problems associated with prior art filling techniques.